California bill would ban website fees for mug shot removal

Updated 5:22 pm, Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Sacramento --

A cottage industry that profits from posting mug shots - then charging embarrassed people fees to remove them - is facing increasing scrutiny as California could become the latest state to make the practice illegal.

The state Legislature approved a bill Monday that would fine commercial websites $1,000 if they charge fees to remove arrest photos. The bill now heads to Gov. Jerry Brown.

Hill said websites like Just Mugshots and MugshotsOnline.com represent a growing practice of shaking down people who were arrested by posting their mug shots online. Dozens of websites across the country charge hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars to remove the mug shots, with no guarantees that the photos won't then pop up on another site. The websites often include mug shots of people who were arrested but never charged or convicted of a crime, which is especially concerning, Hill said.

Eight states have passed legislation in the past two years to curb what has been called a mug shot racket, including Texas, Utah, Colorado and Georgia, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

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Some groups have questioned whether restricting the use of arrest information would negatively impact public or media access. Hill said his bill doesn't change what information is available. Under SB1027, websites charging people to remove mug shots would face a $1,000 fine for each solicited payment and be subject to a civil lawsuit by the person whose mug shot was used.

Bob DeBrino, a film producer and former New York City police officer, advocated for the bill after he was arrested in Los Angeles County last year on suspicion of driving under the influence of methadone and the prescription drug Adderall. Doctors prescribed DeBrino the medication for an impending surgery and the charges were later dropped. However, he said his mug shot was put on a website that demanded thousands of dollars to remove it.

"It's about time to stand up to these con men who are ruining lives," DeBrino said, according to legislative analysis of the bill.

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